diff --git a/ldoc/lang.lua b/ldoc/lang.lua
index 26bd6c0..0aeb6a7 100644
--- a/ldoc/lang.lua
+++ b/ldoc/lang.lua
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ end
 
 function Lang:grab_block_comment(v,tok)
    v = v:gsub(self.block_comment,'')
-   return tools.grab_block_comment(v,tok,self.end_block1,self.end_block2)
+   return tools.grab_block_comment(v,tok,self.end_comment)
 end
 
 function Lang:find_module(tok,t,v)
@@ -62,8 +62,6 @@ function Lua:_init()
    self.line_comment = '^%-%-+' -- used for stripping
    self.start_comment_ = '^%-%-%-+'     -- used for doc comment line start
    self.block_comment = '^%-%-%[=*%[%-+' -- used for block doc comments
-   self.end_block1 = ']'
-   self.end_block2 = ']'
    self:finalize()
 end
 
@@ -73,6 +71,13 @@ function Lua.lexer(fname)
    return lexer.lua(f,{}),f
 end
 
+function Lua:grab_block_comment(v,tok)
+   local equals = v:match('^%-%-%[(=*)%[')
+   v = v:gsub(self.block_comment,'')
+   return tools.grab_block_comment(v,tok,'%]'..equals..'%]')
+end
+
+
 function Lua:parse_module_call(tok,t,v)
    t,v = tnext(tok)
    if t == '(' then t,v = tnext(tok) end
@@ -167,6 +172,8 @@ function Lua:parse_extra (tags,tok)
    end
 end
 
+-- note a difference here: we scan C/C++ code in full-text mode, not line by line.
+-- This is because we can't detect multiline comments in line mode
 
 class.CC(Lang)
 
diff --git a/ldoc/tools.lua b/ldoc/tools.lua
index f897f3f..962fee9 100644
--- a/ldoc/tools.lua
+++ b/ldoc/tools.lua
@@ -327,11 +327,11 @@ end
 -- The PL Lua lexer does not do block comments
 -- when used in line-grabbing mode, so this function grabs each line
 -- until we meet the end of the comment
-function M.grab_block_comment (v,tok,end1,end2)
+function M.grab_block_comment (v,tok,patt)
    local res = {v}
    repeat
       v = lexer.getline(tok)
-      if v:match '%]=*%]' then break end
+      if v:match (patt) then break end
       append(res,v)
       append(res,'\n')
    until false